One of the most common questions that fitness enthusiast often find themselves seeking an answer to is, whether they should exercise before or after taking a meal. Well, according to the findings of a study conducted by the researchers at the University of Bath in UK, exercising on empty stomach is likely to provide better health benefits in the long-term. The study analysed the effects of performing a workout before and after eating, on the adipose tissue within the body to arrive at this conclusion. This is because the adipose tissue plays an important role during exercise by providing a majority of the energy for working skeletal muscle. This essentially means that people who hit the gym or go for a workout first thing in the morning are more likely to enjoy a healthier and fitter life than those who do so after having any meal.

A Detailed Overview Of The Study

The study was conducted on a group of 60 overweight men, who had volunteered for the research. These volunteers were first asked to walk for 1 hour on an empty stomach at 60% maximum oxygen consumption. Then these men were asked to walk for a period of two hours after they had consumed a high-calorie and carbohydrate-rich diet. On each occasion, the research team took multiple blood samples both before and after the walk. In addition, the researchers also collected samples of adipose tissue, once immediately before the walk and then again one hour after the walk. The researchers found that the gene expression in the adipose tissue differed significantly in both these trials.

Findings Of The Study

The results of the study, which were published in the American Journal of Physiology, revealed the following important findings. The analysis of the blood and tissue samples made it clear to the researchers that the expression of the two genes, namely PDK4 and HSL, increased when the men exercised after fasting. The rise in PDK4 led the researchers to believe that the fat stored in the body was likely used to fuel the metabolism in men who chose to exercise on an empty stomach. In the same context, the increase in HSL indicated that the energy stored in the adipose tissue was used to support the increased activity during the exercise.

On the other hand, the adipose tissue in men, who choose to exercise after having a meal, focuses more on responding to the meal. Consequently, the results of exercising will not be the same as it will not induce similar changes in the adipose tissue as can be expected while working out on an empty stomach. This also led the researchers to conclude that exercising after having a meal is likely to blunt the long-term benefits that can be gained by the adaptation of this fat tissue to regular workout.

What The Study Means For A Common

While there is growing awareness about the need for following a regular workout and exercise routine, most people still use workout only for getting rid of their excessive weight. For such people, the study can prove to be extremely helpful at it will help them plan their workout in a more beneficial manner. This is because working out on an empty stomach is likely to help them loose weight much faster as it will help them to burn fat at a much faster rate.

Although the study was conducted only on a limited number of people and by only considering the effects of skipping breakfast for a morning workout, it has definitely paved the way for more flexible research in this field. Moreover, it has provided the people already working out on an empty stomach in the morning time something positive to look forward to.

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